Not currently on display at the V&A

The Mulberry Bush

Wallpaper Frieze
ca. 1900 (manufactured)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

‘The object is to place before children such pictures as are well drawn and well coloured and thus training the eye in infancy to discriminate and enjoy artistic work.’
Liberty Bazaar, 1898

These wallpaper friezes were produced by British illustrator and poster designer John Hassall for Liberty & Co. around the turn of the twentieth century, a time when designing for children’s nurseries was very fashionable. They were part of a wider collaboration between Hassall and fellow artist Cecil Aldin, ‘Art for the Nursery’, which was aimed at making the appearance of children's rooms more attractive. This resulted in the Pictures for Children exhibition at The Fine Art Society in 1900.

The papers are lithographs printed by Jellico and Co. to be fixed directly to the walls of children's nurseries.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleThe Mulberry Bush (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Colour lithograph on paper
Brief description
Section of nursery wallpaper frieze, 'The Mulberry Bush', lithograph on paper, John Hassall for Liberty, England, about 1900
Physical description
Nursery wallpaper frieze showing four girls dancing face-on, wearing pink dresses, white aprons and leafy wreaths and garlands.
Dimensions
  • Height: 490mm
  • Width: 1538mm
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'The Mulberry Bush' (Printed at proper left top edge)
  • 'J.Hassall' [signed] (Printed at proper left bottom)
Credit line
Given by Julia Cox
Object history
Given to the museum in 2019 by Julia Cox [2019/356]
Subjects depicted
Summary
‘The object is to place before children such pictures as are well drawn and well coloured and thus training the eye in infancy to discriminate and enjoy artistic work.’
Liberty Bazaar, 1898

These wallpaper friezes were produced by British illustrator and poster designer John Hassall for Liberty & Co. around the turn of the twentieth century, a time when designing for children’s nurseries was very fashionable. They were part of a wider collaboration between Hassall and fellow artist Cecil Aldin, ‘Art for the Nursery’, which was aimed at making the appearance of children's rooms more attractive. This resulted in the Pictures for Children exhibition at The Fine Art Society in 1900.

The papers are lithographs printed by Jellico and Co. to be fixed directly to the walls of children's nurseries.
Other number
451546 - Registered Design number
Collection
Accession number
B.15-2019

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Record createdMay 9, 2019
Record URL
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